The Wasteland Reviewer

Left-Handed Girl (2025) Written Review

How challenging can a new life in a new city be for a single mother and her family? Taiwanese filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou explores this dilemma in a new drama gracing theaters then Netflix, Left-Handed Girl. Ester K. Chae’s Shu-Fen brings her two daughters to the city of Taipei, and it could be a new opportunity for a fresh life for all of them. But it also opens the door, and a flood of new challenges overcomes the three of them in this new drama. A mixture of generational trauma, complex relationships, and culture superstitions make for quite the dramatic mix of conflicts. 

How does Left-Handed Girl come to life in the hands of Tsou? This is quite a visceral, engaging, and intimate cinematic experience. Tsou’s cinematic voice is defined from raw and engrossing filmmaking that puts the audience into the intimate moments of these characters which elevate the empathy we feel for them along the way. You can tell that Tsou has no qualms with exploring heavier themes, dark elements, and taboo situations. There are some relatively graphic intimate moments (especially revolving around the escapades of the elder daughter). There are some truly dark turns centered around the youngest daughter who is the titular girl of the title. One specific scene is quite haunting due to the alluded to violence for such a young girl. There is plenty of tension along the way and Tsou can craft quite an emotional experience along the way. The camera work from cinematographers Ko-chin Chen and Tzu-Hao Kao is quite dynamic with long takes, intimate close-ups, and fluid movement throughout the scenes in the film. Oscar winning filmmaker Sean Baker assists in crafting and sharply edited and well-paced experience along the way. 

Does the screenplay from Baker and Tsou deliver plenty of drama to grab the audience? Admittedly, there are plenty of familiar elements in Left-Handed Girl as the story gives this family some standard conflicts along the way. There are generational conflicts with even the matriarch of this little trio having her other mother issues that become her biggest conflict. The eldest daughter navigating young adult angst and a problematic sexual relationship with her older boss certainly provides plenty of drama as well. The cultural elements of the film’s foundation open the door to more compelling elements. This is the crux for the youngest daughter’s arc who navigates societal and familial pressures for her to become right-handed. The pressures and guilt pressed upon this little girl is (purposefully) frustrating and provides plenty of internal strife for our young protagonist. There are also plenty of familiar elements, Tsou’s story navigates that central premise of moving to a new city. Tsou and Baker inject a fresh feel for sure, but the foundation of this new film is crafted with relatable human experiences.

How does this trio of performers bring Left-Handed Girl to life on both the big and small screen? The heart and soul of this film is the titular girl, and Nina Ye delivers a moving, empathetic, and charming performance. For so much weight on her little shoulders, Ye excels in bringing I-Jing to life so effectively, Endearing and empathetic, the audience quickly connects with her. There is some good range in her performance that sells the dark and more emotional places that Left-Handed Girl takes her. Janel Tsai embodies the endless angst of her young adult character so effectively. The swings in emotion that Tsai navigates is quite authentic due to her committed performance. There are some heavy elements to Shu-Fen’s story and Tsai lashes out quite a bit. Those tense moments between Tsai and Ye hit so hard because of the situation but Tsai still garners sympathy due to how she naturally embodies these challenging experiences in her life. Chae’s performance is much more subdued and layered as she delivers a quieter intensity as she navigates her own trauma while supporting her daughters. This family works so well due to the collection authenticity of this familiar dynamic and so much credit needs to go to this trio of performers. 

Is Left-Handed Girl an impactful drama that can stand out on the international cinematic stage? Having a Netflix release will probably benefit such a small yet impressive film as Left-Handed Girl. Tsou’s film is dynamic and engrossing from a presentation standpoint which allows the emotion and humanity to shine through. This trio of actors sell their characters perfectly and each of their stories is rich and impactful. A mix of familiar and relatable dramatic elements with more cultural Taiwanese beats gives this a rich dramatic tapestry to explore. Left-Handed Girl will certainly garner some attention in this season’s International cinematic landscape.